Out of the 94 women vying for the Miss Universe 2018 crown, three are representing countries from Oceania. They are Miss Australia Francesca Hung, Miss Guam Athena Su McNinch and Miss New Zealand Estelle Curd.
Hung is one of the strongest Miss Universe 2018 candidates. I predict that she will make it to the Top 5 but not necessarily the next titleholder.
But if Hung wins, she will become the third Miss Universe from Australia. The first two were Kerry Anne Wells and Jennifer Hawkins, who won in 1972 and in 2004, respectively.
The last time Australia placed in Miss Universe was in 2015 when Monika Radulovic made it to the Top 5. Representing the country, Laura Dundovis, Scherri-Lee Biggs and Tegan Martin all made it to the Top 10 in 2008, 2011 and 2014, respectively.
Australia’s Rachael Finch, Jesinta Franklin and Renae Ayris all made it to the Top 5 of Miss Universe. Finch and Ayris were third runner-up in 2009 and 2012, respectively, while Franklin was second runner-up in 2010.
On the other hand, New Zealand has one Miss Universe. Lorraine Downes won the title for the country in 1983.
Guam has yet to win a Miss Universe crown. The United States territory in Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean has been competing in the beauty pageant since 1966 and all of its representatives were unplaced except Hilary Ann Best and Patty Chong Kerkos.
Best made it to the Top 15 of Miss Universe 1970 and won Miss Congeniality. Kerkos won a sponsor award and was runner-up to Miss Universe 1982 Karen Dianne Baldwin of Canada.
Miss Universe started in 1952 with Armi Kuusela of Finland as the inaugural winner. Currently, the United States is the country with the most wins in the beauty pageant with eight crowns followed by Venezuela and Puerto Rico with seven and five crowns, respectively.
On December 17, 2018, Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa will crown her successor at Impact, Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok, Thailand. Meanwhile, check how the 94 beauties represented their respective countries in the Miss Universe 2018 national costume show here:
Categories: beauty pageants
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